Epilogue: Five Years Later
by darkness-has-eyes
Summary: Takes place after the last chapter. Time has passed and Fever has changed. A somewhat new personality, new job, new interests and a very new hairstyle. She meets old acquaintances and someone who may change her even more... Five years is a long time, it's natural that a person would change. Or in Fever's words: "It's only rational if your life changed completely." ONESHOT ALERT!


Hey people who would actually read this... Um yeah. I had to write a chapter extension of the book "Fever Crumb" for school my previous year and it turned out to be way too long so I had to shorten it to fit the requirement. Somehow that didn't sit well with me to not show off the original so I'm posting the original not shortened version of my project here. I hope you all enjoy it. By the way just so you know this is my little chapter that I'd add on to the end of the book. Also no, I have yet to read the other books in the series so I know that this doesn't actually happen. But whatever. This is fan fiction after all. Sorry I'm rambling... ^_^'

* * *

The weather was sunny and the skies were clear and blue. Even nature seemed to take the return of the Persimmon's Ambulatory Lyceum as a celebratory event. It had been five years since the performers had left London in a rush as the area had turned onto a new leaf as well as a new rule. It had been a long five years since Fever had left the Movement and the Order of Engineers to live her own life with Ruan and Fern in the entertainment business. In the years past Fever hadn't changed at all, emotionally. She was the same rational thinking girl that she had been at the age of fourteen. However time had done her good, Fever had gained a few inches and stood at five foot six. Her now brown neck length hair was brushed and kept straight. All in all, she had grown to be quite the beauty, her mismatched eyes only added to the fact.

"Fever?"

"Yes Fern?" she replied as she turned around to meet the eyes of the young girl.

"Have you seen where Ruan went off to? I can't seem to find him in any of the tents."

"Oh have you checked the training area for the elephants? I saw your brother leading a pair in that direction."

"Thanks Fever!" she replied as she turned to leave only to spin around again and said, "You're going now aren't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you're going to see your parents now right? You promised both my brother and I that you would. Now you're stalling and I'm not going to buy one of your lies now," Fern said with a serious look on her face. Her expression and stance made Fever laugh.

"I remember when you were little saying that you wouldn't go anywhere without your favorite toy Noodle Poodle. Not even if I picked you up and carried you."

"That was a long time ago!" a blush had risen on her cheeks, "Just go! I know you want to see them."

"As true as that may be it would be highly irrational to just storm their fortress without getting caught and brought before Quercus."

"So? You know Quercus. It doesn't matter if you get caught in the end... Oh no. You're not thinking..." Fever smiled and said,

"So, you finally understand what I was implying, huh? It is irrational to storm in because I'm their leader's friend. I could just walk up to them and state my name and I'd be reunited easily. However that's an irrational thing to do if I wanted to have a little fun of my own."

"Geez, five years ago you wouldn't scare people just for fun. The entertainment business has really changed you. But I see no point in trying to stop you. The constant attempt of raids and burglaries on the group has made you strong as well as battle smart, and once you set your mind on something I know it is impossible to try to talk you out of it. Honesty you're a handful and then some," Fern shook her head.

"I'm glad we came to an understanding. Besides I've go to help everyone set up for the show tomorrow and that alone will take until sundown. When I'm done I promise to go see them. Okay?"

"Okay. Just don't kill someone."

"WHAT!?"

"I meant out of surprise. Of course I wouldn't put it past you."

"You should be grateful. If I hadn't in the past you, Ruan and myself would have been dead long ago."

"Yeah," Fern was walking away but turned when Fever called out to her.

"Tell your brother to get ready for tomorrow. You both are the main characters in the play tomorrow right?"

"Of course! I didn't need you to tell me that."

* * *

Later when the sky turned a lovely purple and dark blue as a nineteen year old poked her head into the tent that she shared with two others, only to find them both present.

"If you're looking for your outfit and weapons Fern already set them out on your bed," the young man said.

"I can see that. Ruan you're finished early today," Fever said as she stepped behind a curtain to swiftly change. From there she heard a giggle before Fern spoke up,

"He wanted to see you off." Fever stepped out clad in gray. Her shirt and pants were a light grey and they were form fitting. A black sash was around her waist that held extra rounds for the twin pair of pistols that were strapped to each of her thighs, the silencers were attached to the guns as well. Her shirt had a hood that came up to hide her shiny hair and it cloaked her face in shadow so only a pair of mismatched eyes could be seen glinting.

"So sweet of you. Now I'll be back before dinner. Don't get yourselves in any trouble-"

"Miss Crumb we aren't kids any more."

"Of course you're not. well see you two soon," with that Fever left into the newborn night.

* * *

Ten minutes later in the large "throne room" within the Movement's fortress there was a large table with a map of London on placed on it with pencil marks everywhere and had six people standing on the sides. Around the room soldiers were stationed on guard and listened to the conversation of their leader: Quercus, Quercus' 1st son: Aiden, their technomancer: Wavey, co-leader of the engineers Dr. Crumb, the other co-leader of the engineers Dr. Stayling and a major leading head of the military: Captain Andringa.

"We cannot go any farther on the construction of the thirty engines anymore than what we already have."

"Stayling is right the technology is much more complicated now that we are doing the programming," Dr. Crumb said.

"I see both of your points. I suppose that even engineers have their limits. There really is no rush. the only thing that is hurrying it along is the commander's curiosity."

"I do admit I want this project done as soon as possible. I wish to see the great city of London be reborn and moving. Besides five years in a great test of my patience."

"If only Fever were here. We could really use my daughter's help right now," Wavey said wistfully. Dr. Crumb wrapped an arm around her waist in comfort and said,

"Fever will return when she's good and ready to and not a second before."

"I wish that father would just send out a search party for the girl if she is that important to the project."

"Ingenious but irrational. We have no idea where the young Fever and her two little wards had run off to. The search party could be formed but we'd have no idea where to begin," said Dr. Stayling.

"What's the rush Aiden? Looking to woo the young Miss Fever?" Quercus said while nudging his son in the side.

"Father!"

"Well I can't say I really blame you. She was quite pretty when I last had laid eyes on her five years ago. She must be a lovely young lady now and is only a few years younger than yourself. Dr. Crumb How old would your daughter be now?"

"Currently she should be nineteen."

"Nineteen huh? That's nice seeing that you're twenty one Aiden."

"I swear your favorite hobby is to set me up with every lady you meet that is near my age," Aiden said while giving his father a light disbelieving glare.

"Just be happy that your father is here to raise you. I haven't been able to play my role as her mother nearly as much as I should have."

"Wavey."

"I want to see her soon, Gideon. I want to see my baby."

"You're not the only one. God, if only I knew where she was."

"Goodness, I didn't think that I'd come in and stumble into hearing a conversation about me. I wonder if this is considered eavesdropping," a voice rang out into the large room and bounced on the walls.

"Fever!?" Wavey called out. Everyone turned in ever which way looking for the source.

"Are we all hearing things?" Dr. Stayling questioned out loud. A laugh was sent out as a response.

"No, you are hearing me talk. Though I'd appreciate it if you'd all just look up at me." They did as the voice said and there was Fever Crumb sitting on one of the beams in the ceiling smiling down at the group below her.

"Fever! What are you doing that is dangerous!"

"Your mother is right Fever," Dr. Crumb called. Fever didn't respond she just fell back off the beam and landed on her feet with bent knees and her hands in her pockets.

"Better?" she questioned taking in their shocked faces one by one, "Captain Andringa, if I correctly recall, your guard formation could use some work. That formation is entirely too predictable after you have seen past the first two lines of defense."

"Fever!" her mother had promptly enveloped her daughter into a hug and her father did the same, "Oh Fever, here, let me get a good look at you." Wavey had gently pulled the hood off to reveal her face and was not only surprised to see that her daughter looked a bit more mature but to see the dark brown straight hair that stopped just short of her shoulders. "I see you grew your hair out."

"Hello mother," Fever turned to Dr. Crumb, "father. It has been a while." Fever walked up to the map with her parents in toe and gazed at the map and the progress notes. When she looked up at the others around the table she was met with smiling faces and one that was just staring at her. She raised her eyebrow at Aiden and he in response quickly looked away before meeting her gaze and stretching out a hand and saying,

"Hello Miss Fever I'm Aiden, Quercus' son." Fever shook his hand, and said,

"Nice to meet you. I'm glad to meet another person near my age that is helping with the project." Fever had a light blush on her cheeks, and the two let go of one another's hand swiftly. While Fever was reading the report Aiden explained the details to her.

The two refused to look one another in the eye and everyone else in the room shared the same thought as they gazed at the two: 'This, is going to be interesting.'

* * *

Well... read and review if you're up for it. Have a good day.

**PS: THIS IS A ONESHOT. UNDER NO CURCUMSTANCES IS THIS EVER, EVER GOING TO BE CONTINUED. THAT IS MY FINAL DECISION.**


End file.
